File:1967-05 Festiniog Calendar May.jpg

Built in 1836 to carry slate by gravity, the Festiniog Railway was the world’s first public narrow-gauge line, passengers being carried for the first time on such a narrow gauge in 1865. Unintendedly it became Britain’s most scenic railway route and is run by our oldest surviving private railway company. Trains run to suit the convenience of holiday-makers; May starts quietly with the Wednesday only service, but as Whitsun and the spring holiday approach the timetable quickly builds up to a peak of six or more return trips on weekdays and three a day at weekends.

R. T. King 88-year-old articulated Fairlie, ‘Merddin Emrys’, brews up for a heavy train at Portmadoc. The crew work cheek-by-jowl with two roaring fireboxes and, although the cab roof has been removed, the volunteer fireman is plainly feeling the pressure before he has even started.